1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for attaching straws wrapped in protective covering to containers and more particularly to a high speed machine having a slotted roller for receiving a web of parallel straws and a cutting roller for separating the straws as it rotates in close association with the slotted roller.
2. Description of Related Art
The attachment of drinking straws wrapped in a protective covering to a beverage container has been performed many ways in the prior art. Generally the wrapped straws are arranged in parallel with respect to each other and each straw is positioned perpendicular to the length of the roll forming a web. It is known to provide an adhesive surface along the length of the web. It is also known to apply a hotmelt adhesive on the side of a container or package. It is further known to provide a knife or blade to separate the straw from the web in order to be able to attach it to the container. However, the speed at which straws can be attached to containers has been in the range of 300-350 straws per minute. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,233,331, issued Nov. 11, 1980 to Harold C. Lemke, et al., a method of securing a can opening key to a container end is described using oriented polypropylene film with solventless acrylic adhesive. The method comprises providing a container end feeder and providing a key feeder which cooperates with a vacuum applicator and tape cutoff system to position tapes and keys for assembly and bonding to the container ends. The method includes interfacing a cutoff blade wheel to a vacuum wheel to form the vacuum applicator and tape cutoff system. The blade wheel carries tool steel blades. The vacuum wheel rotates clockwise and cutoff blade wheel rotates counter-clockwise. The method includes the step of a feeder system supplying tape to a mandrill having an anvil surface. The cutoff blade meets the anvil severing a preset strip of tape.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,819, issued Apr. 29, 1986, to Jan Hakansson, an apparatus for feeding a series or band of straws off a strip onto a series of packages with adhesive is described. The straws are supplied to a rotary drum where they are severed from the band by a reciprocating knife. An adhesive applicator applies adhesive (hotmelt) on the side of the package for holding the straws on the package. However, the use of a hotmelt adhesive is a slower process whereby a slower reciprocating knife is suitable for the apparatus.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,572,758, issued Feb. 25, 1986, to Rudolf Wild, a machine and method for attaching drinking straws in protective coverings to beverage containers is described. Efficiency is achieved by batch processing wherein a number of straws are separated from a tape at one time at a cutting station, several separating knives are fastened to a knife disk. The knives vertically move into slots. Placing a leading batch of straw packages of tape in the cutting machine results in five straw packages being separated resulting in parallel processing of the five straw packages and beverage containers. Adhesive strip has a covering tape peeled away for attaching the straw to the container. However, reciprocating knives in such a straw application machine have been known to heat up resulting in the adhesive or glue attaching to the knives which results in the machine jamming.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,707,965, issued Nov. 24, 1987, to Gert Becker, a method and apparatus for attaching drinking straws to packaging containers from a straw roller is described. A first conveyor transports containers, a second conveyor transports drinking straws, the containers and drinking straws enter into a fastening device for attaching individual straws to individual containers at a controlled moment, defining the moment by determining the position and the transporting speed of the individual containers before entering the fastening device, and determining the relative position of the individual containers in relation to the first conveyor. A knife holder comprises a knife shaft on which are fixed two knife holders which carry at their ends the actual severing knives. When the shaft rotates the connecting webs of the straw belt are severed enabling the drinking straws to be extracted individually from the straw roller. A hotmelt glue unit having a hotmelt glue application head applies glue to the container for holding the straws. However, hotmelt glue requires a drying time which limits the speed of the apparatus for attaching drinking straws to packaging containers.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,458, issued Feb. 27, 1990, to Jan Hakansson, an apparatus for attaching bendable elongated drinking straws to a side of a container is described. After attaching the straw a device folds the drinking straw beyond the edge of the container. The straws are accumulated around a drum in spaces arranged at a uniform pitch around the drum. The straws are supplied to the drum in a band. The straws are separated from each other by a knife which is controlled by an air cylinder, and the knife penetrates spaces around the drum on each side of the straw. An applicator applies a bonding agent (hotmelt) to the container for holding the straw. However, this cutting system is inherently slower because of the drying time of the hotmelt thereby permitting the use of a slower knife controlled by an air cylinder.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,519, issued Sep. 6, 1994, to John M. Galchefski et al., an apparatus for applying labels onto small cylindrical articles including a label transport drum constructed for aiding the transfer is described. Vacuum drawn through parts on the drum and through orifices on label retaining plates, retains the label to the drum surface. FIG. 1A shows an off-drum cutting assembly. The knife assembly includes a cutting wheel having opposing cutting blades that engage the strip, cutting the strip into labels. The cut label is transferred to the surface of the label transport drum. The label then moves with the drum into an article wrapping position.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,391, issued Dec. 27, 1994, to Goran Persson et al., a system for feeding straws on a package by means of a feed wheel is described which receives a series of parallel straws from a strip holder for feeding onto a package. Adjacent to the feed wheel is a knife (not shown) for separating the various straws from the connected straws. The knife is controlled by some form of pneumatically controlled piston and cylinder wire.
Accordingly, it is therefore an object of this invention to apply protectively covered drinking straws to containers at high speeds.
It is another object of this invention to provide a blade cutting drum for separating a web of parallel straws positioned on a slotted drum as the blade cutting drum rotates in close association with the slotted drum.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an ejector bar to apply the covered straw separated from a straw web to a container.
It is yet another object of this invention to accommodate a web of straws comprising a preattached adhesive tape or a web straws whereby glue is applied to the straws after the web is positioned on the slotted drum.
It is another object of this invention to provide sensors to detect a plurality of functions and to shut down the apparatus if a malfunction is sensed.
It is a further object of this invention to provide first alternate embodiment of a straw drum comprising rubber ends having slots for holding larger straws.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a second alternate embodiment of a straw drum having end plates with inserts inserted into slots of the end plates.
The objects are further accomplished by providing an apparatus for separating straws from a web at a high rate of speed and attaching each of the straws to one of a plurality of containers, the improvement comprising means, rotating in a first direction and having a plurality of slots, for receiving the web of straws, means, rotating in a second opposite direction and having a plurality of blades, for cutting each of the straws from the web, and means for controlling the receiving means and the cutting means, the receiving means disposed adjacent to the cutting means wherein each of the plurality of blades serially enters a slot on the receiving means to accomplish the cutting. The apparatus comprises a straw guide assembly for guiding the web of straws into the apparatus. The receiving means comprises a first plurality of slots extending a first predetermined depth into the receiving means, and a second plurality of slots extending a second predetermined depth into the receiving means, the first plurality of slots alternating with the second plurality of slots around the circumference of the receiving means. The plurality of blades are equally spaced a predetermined distance from each other around the circumference of the cutting means. The plurality of blades extend a predetermined distance above the circumference of the cutting means. The apparatus comprises means for pressing each straw of the web into one of the plurality of the slots. The plurality of blades of the cutting means extend into the plurality of slots of the receiving means on each side of straw holding slots as the receiving means and the blades of the cutting means rotate in opposite directions. The apparatus comprises a first servo motor coupled to an ejector bar for controlling the speed of applying each of the straws to the plurality of containers. The controlling means comprises a second servo motor for controlling the rotation of the receiving means and the cutting means. The apparatus comprises means positioned above the receiving means, for removing a protective cover of an adhesive tape on the web of straws. The apparatus may also include means positioned adjacent to the receiving means for applying an adhesive to the web of straws. The receiving means comprises a drum made of aluminum. The drum may also comprise an inner aluminum portion and an outer flexible material portion.
A first alternate embodiment of the straw drum comprises a cylindrical, metallic center portion having at least one groove around its circumference for receiving an ejecting arm, a first flexible material, circular end means, positioned on a first end of the center cylindrical metallic portion, for holding a first portion of a straw, a second flexible material, circular end means, positioned on a second end of the center cylindrical metallic portion, for holding a second portion of the straw, and each of the first and second flexible material, circular end means comprises the first plurality of slots extending a first predetermined depth into the straw drum and the second plurality of slots extending a second predetermined depth into the straw drum.
A second alternate embodiment of the straw drum comprises at least one groove around the central circumference of the drum for receiving an ejecting arm, a first end portion of the drum comprises a group of the plurality of slots positioned around the circumference of the first end portion, each of the first group of the plurality of slots around the first end portion of the drum comprises insert means for grasping a straw, a second end portion of the drum comprises a second group of the plurality of slots positioned around the circumference of the second end portion, and each of the second group of the plurality of slots around the second end portion of the drum comprises insert means for grasping the straw. The insert means comprises a spaced apart first leg and second leg extending from a base providing flexible upper ends for grasping the straw.
The objects are further accomplished by providing an apparatus for separating straws from a web of straws and attaching each separated straw to a container of a plurality of containers at a high rate of speed comprising means for receiving the web of straws, the receiving means rotating in a first direction and having a plurality of straw slots, means for pressing each straw of the web into one of the plurality of straw slots, means, disposed adjacent to the receiving means and rotating in an opposite second direction, for separating each straw serially from the web at the high rate of speed, means coupled to the receiving means and the separating means for controlling the rotation of the receiving means and the separating means, and means extending within a portion of the receiving means for ejecting each of the separated straws to contact one of the plurality of the containers. The apparatus comprises a straw guide assembly for guiding the web of straws into the apparatus. The web receiving means comprises a cylindrical straw drum having a first plurality of slots extending a first predetermined depth into the straw drum, and a second plurality of slots extending a second predetermined depth into the straw drum, the first plurality of slots alternating with the second plurality slots around the circumference of the straw drum. The separating means comprises a cylindrical drum having a plurality of blades spaced a predetermined distance from each other around the circumference of the drum. The plurality of blades extend a predetermined distance above the perimeter of the blade cylindrical drum. The separating means comprises a plurality of blades extending into the plurality of straw slots of the receiving means on each side of the straw slots as the receiving means and the blades of the separating means rotate in the opposite directions. The ejecting means comprises a first servo motor coupled to an ejector bar for controlling the speed of applying each of the straws to the container. The controlling means comprises a second servo motor for controlling the rotation of the receiving means and the separating means. The apparatus comprises means positioned above the pressing means, for removing a protective cover of an adhesive tape on the web of straws. The apparatus may also comprise means positioned adjacent to the receiving means for applying an adhesive to the web of straws. The straw drum comprises aluminum, and it may comprise an inner aluminum portion and an outer flexible material portion.
A first alternate embodiment of the straw drum comprises a cylindrical, metallic center portion having at least one groove around the circumference of the straw drum for receiving the ejecting means, a first flexible material, circular end means, positioned on a first end of the cylindrical metallic center portion, for holding a first portion of a straw, a second flexible material circular end means, positioned on a second end of the cylindrical metallic center portion, for holding a second portion of the straw, and each of the first and second flexible material, circular end means comprises the first plurality of slots extending a first predetermined depth into the straw drum and the second plurality of slots extending a second predetermined depth into the straw drum.
A second alternate embodiment of the straw drum comprises at least one groove around the central circumference of the straw drum for receiving the ejecting means, a first end portion of the straw drum comprises a plurality of slots positioned around the circumference of the first end portion, each of the plurality of slots around the first end portion of the straw drum comprises insert means for grasping a straw, a second end portion of the straw drum comprises a plurality of slots positioned around the circumference of the second end portion, and each of the plurality of slots around the second end portion of the straw drum comprises insert means for grasping the straw. The insert means comprises a spaced apart first leg and second leg extending from a base providing flexible upper ends for grasping the straw.
The objects are further accomplished by a method for separating straws from a web of straws and attaching each separated straw to a container of a plurality of containers at a high rate of speed comprising the steps of receiving the web of straws by means having a plurality of straw slots for holding the straws, the receiving means rotating in a first direction, pressing each straw of the web into one of the plurality of straw slots, separating each straw serially from the web at the high rate of speed with means disposed adjacent to the receiving means, controlling the rotation of the receiving means and the separating means with servo drive means, ejecting each of the separated straws to contact one of the plurality of containers with means extending within portion of the receiving means. The method comprises the step of guiding the web of straws into the receiving means with a straw guide assembly. The step of receiving the web of straws comprises the step of providing a straw drum having a first plurality of the straw slots extending a first predetermined depth and a second plurality of slots having a second predetermined depth into the straw drum, the first plurality of slots alternating with the second plurality of slots around the circumference of the straw drum. The step of separating each straw serially from the web comprises the step of providing a cylindrical drum having a plurality of blades spaced a predetermined distance from each other around the circumference of the cylindrical drum. The step of providing a plurality of blades around the circumference of the cylindrical drum comprises the step of extending the blades a predetermined distance above the surface of the blade cylindrical drum. The step of separating each straw serially from the web comprises the steps of rotating in a first direction the receiving means comprising a straw drum having the plurality of straw slots with straws of the web pressed therein, and rotating in an opposite second direction the separating means comprising a blade drum having the plurality of blades extending therefrom in close association with the straw drum. The step of rotating the straw drum in the first direction and the blade drum in the second direction comprises the step of providing a plurality of blade slots in the straw drum on each side of the straw slots for receiving the plurality of blades extending from the blade drum. The step of ejecting each of the separate straws comprises the step of coupling a first servo motor to an ejector bar for controlling the speed of ejecting and applying each of the separated straws to one of the plurality of containers. The step of controlling the rotation of the receiving means and the separating means with servo drive means comprises the step of providing pre-programmed second servo motors for controlling the speed of the apparatus. The method comprises the step of removing a protective cover of an adhesive tape on the web of straws with means positioned above the receiving means.
Additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.